Sokcho IC bakery café: last-day potato bread office gifts, Bultan

Why Bultan potato bread instead of dakgangjeong as a Sokcho souvenir?

Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread is where I went for Sokcho gifts instead of dakgangjeong (Korean sweet crispy fried chicken). Burnt potato bread, shaped like a charred potato, was a souvenir that really felt like Sokcho.

Everyone buys dakgangjeong when they visit Sokcho, right? This time I wanted to get something a little different, so I went looking and ended up at Bultan Gamja, a Sokcho bakery everyone raves about. I was curious about the name to begin with, and the cute blackened-potato shape and the strong Sokcho vibe won me over.

Last day of the trip: the main store by Sokcho IC instead of Jungang Market

The main store is right next to Sokcho IC, so you can stop by on the way home with all your luggage already in the car. There's a store in Jungang Market too, but on the drive home the main store was more convenient.

I'd noticed the Jungang Market store while walking past, but it was our last day and we had no time to go back into the market. Since the main store is right next to Sokcho IC, it was perfect for a quick stop before heading home. With the luggage all loaded, it was an easy place to pull in, so it was actually more convenient.

I was surprised at how big it is. I thought it only sold bread, but it also runs a café, so it's a decent place to rest for a bit too. And the sign at the entrance that says "staff origin: 100% domestic" had my husband and me laughing for ages haha. I'll give them credit for a sense of humor.

Moosetoy activity for kids at Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread

The main store offers a Moosetoy craft activity to do with kids, and all the materials are prepared, so you can start right away empty-handed. There were also traces of celebrities who had visited, which was fun to look at.

This Sokcho bakery isn't just a place to buy bread. There's an activity you can do with kids, so I think a lot of families come. There were quite a few signs of celebrity visits too, which made it fun to look around.

The Moosetoy activity was cuter than I expected. All the materials are ready, so you can do it right away without bringing anything. It made me think that when our child is a bit older, I'd like to come here and make one together. Looking back at the photos after a trip, memories like that really stay with you.

A café space to rest on a tiring last day in Sokcho

The café is spacious and the seating is relaxed, so it was nice to sit with a coffee and take it slow. The last day of a trip is surprisingly tiring, and this is a good place for a short break.

Burnt potato bread as an office gift: what makes it different?

The burnt potato bread is coated in black sesame, black beans and black rice flour, and they say the potatoes are roasted rather than boiled. Maybe that's why the potato sweetness felt stronger, and it was just right for us, since we wanted a gift for my husband's office that you can only get in Sokcho.

My husband also had to hand out gifts at work, so we agonized over what to buy. If possible, I wanted something you can only buy in Sokcho, not something available anywhere. That naturally led me to this Sokcho bakery. There was a wide range of gift items too, so I spent a long time browsing.

At first I figured all potato bread was pretty much the same. But when I looked at how it's made, they'd clearly put in more care than I expected. The outside is coated with black sesame, black beans and black rice flour, which made it nuttier, and they say the potatoes are roasted instead of boiled. Maybe that's why the potato sweetness came through more strongly.

It has no synthetic additives, so the shelf life isn't long. Honestly, that made me trust it more. Bread that keeps forever isn't better than bread made fresh and eaten soon, right?

We bought the burnt potato bread and the Sokcho squid-flavored jjondeugi together. The prices are reasonable, so I ended up grabbing a few more to hand out to coworkers, family and friends.

How many seconds to reheat burnt potato bread at home?

As the staff recommended, I microwaved it at home for just 20–30 seconds, and the bread got much softer and the potato inside even smoother. Personally, I recommend eating it warm.

The staff told me that if I was eating it at home, I should definitely warm it up. I gave it about 20–30 seconds in the microwave, and I really understood why they said that. The bread got much softer and the potato inside was smoother, so personally I recommend eating it warm.

"What should I bring back from Sokcho?" That's honestly the hardest part, isn't it? Dakgangjeong is too common, and fish is a hassle to carry around. But burnt potato bread really feels like something brought back from Sokcho, which I loved. It's the kind of gift where the person receiving it would immediately say, "Oh, you went to Sokcho!"

Four individually wrapped pieces per box: easy to share at the office

Each box holds 4 individually wrapped pieces, which is great for taking to the office and easy to pull out one at a time at home. When you want one, you just tear the wrapper a little and warm it up, so it's perfect as a snack too.

I tried one right when I got home, and the texture was exactly the same as in the store. It's filled with potato, cream cheese and butter, so instead of dry, crumbly potato bread, "really soft" is the right description. Honestly I meant to eat just one, but I almost had a second haha

What does Sokcho squid-flavored jjondeugi taste like?

Bultan Gamja's jjondeugi (chewy, sweet-savory snack) is currently sold only in squid flavor, and the squid aroma hits you as soon as you open the bag. I was half doubtful, but it was a fun gift that made me keep reaching for more out of curiosity.

This was a really fun gift. Squid-flavored jjondeugi from Sokcho? I was half doubtful at first, but the flavor makes you pick one up just out of curiosity.

They apparently used to have snow crab and dakgangjeong flavors too, but now they sell only squid. Since squid is what Sokcho is known for, it felt like they focused on one signature item, which I liked even more.

The squid aroma hits you as soon as you open the bag, and it goes well with the chewy texture jjondeugi is known for. If you close your eyes, it almost feels like you're chewing real squid haha

Stuck on what to buy as a Sokcho travel gift?

On this Sokcho trip I covered all my gifts for friends and acquaintances with burnt potato bread and squid-flavored jjondeugi, and the prices are easy on the wallet, so it was great for buying several. If you're wondering what to bring back from Sokcho, this Sokcho bakery is worth a stop.